see you again for 90 minutes of news beginning at 6:00 p.m. tonight, coronavirus deaths now in all 50 states the toll more than 23,000 in america. over 10,000 dead in new york alone but the governor saying quote the worst is over if people stick to self-distancing. and now the battle over how and when to reopen the country. president trump targeting may 1st but feuding with governors. he says the decision is his, not theirs plus those three keys getting america back to work, rapid testing, antibody testing and contract tracing where do those efforts stand tonight? all right, the tornado disaster in the middle of the pandemic

dozens killed and tonight 130 million at risk from florida to maine. a sea of cars lined up at food banks, americans waiting overnight to feed their families. >> we have to do this to survive. >> despite huge demand, why so many farmers are being forced to destroy fresh food and the first wave of relief checks rolling out the new way to get your money faster and our exclusive look inside the icu conducting trials in a potential coronavirus treatment with surprising results. are they close to a breakthrough >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. good evening some encouraging patterns in covid-19 cases along with a restless craving for normalcy are fueling discussions on how and when to restart parts of the american economy governors in seven easter states and three western states tonight working together to map out a cautious way forward as president trump asserts it's his call to make that debate underway

as the death toll from the virus in the u.s. tops 23,000. now in the middle of it all, tragedy doubling down on parts of the south in the form of deadly tornados. our team has it all covered. we begin with gabe gutierrez. >> reporter: tonight as powerful winds and heavy rain pound the nation's epicenter of the pandemic, a break in the on going storm. while the death toll has topped 10,000 in new york state, icu admissions and intubation are dropping the number of newly hospitalized patients is the lowest it's been in two weeks. >> the worst can be over and it is over unless we do something reckless. >> reporter: governor andrew cuomo is clashing publicly with bill de blasio on whether the new york city mayor has the authority to close schools through the remainder of the academic year. >> it is not shocking that sometimes there is differences of perspective. >> reporter: today strong winds threatened this field hospital in central park, and

forced a closure of several testing facilities across the region arian that is an icu nurse at northshore university hospital who brings ipads to her sickest patients to help them contact with their loved ones. >> i was holding the ipad and i was holding her hand and i'm hysterical crying in all my gear my glasses are all foggy and i was just like oh my gosh, like how am i going to handle doing this for multiple people >> reporter: one of her patients died on sunday. >> just holding his hand, playing the video and crying that's like kind of the perfect scene of what it looks like when we're in there. >> reporter: among the lives lost, william sullivan, a beloved police detective in yonkers. anthony was one of the best sports photographers in new york city for decades kim had been a mailman in the bronx. >> we were just hoping

for the best, but in the end, they said that he isn't going to make it past today. >> reporter: at this rate, covid-19 is killing as many new yorkers in three days as the seasonal flu typically does in an entire year gabe gutierrez, nbc news, new york i'm miguel almaguer tonight the director for the cdc says the coronavirus epidemic could peak in days top doctors believe the deadly outbreak stabilized but warn of hot spots and clusters in south dakota at smith field foods, hundreds have the virus. >> we're testing people there more at a higher rate. >> reporter: after the deaths of dozens of grocery store workers who caught the virus, doctors maintain social distancing is saving lives. >> keep a safe distance of six feet. >> reporter: in georgia drones are reminding residents to keep their distance while in philadelphia a man was

removed from a bus after arguing with the driver when he refused to wear a face covering in detroit, at henry ford health system, roughly 1,000 employees have the virus near los angeles, the family of 20-year-old valaria says she lost her life a week after getting sick. >> what can i say? it's shocking, you know it's shocking. >> reporter: with a sailor who served aboard the "uss theodore roosevelt" among those who died after contracting the virus, nine states have more than 20,000 confirmed cases but in hard-hit illinois positive signs of a slowing spread. across the border in missouri, this st. louis family of five welcomed home after they were all infected. >> thank you, thank you, thank you. >> reporter: jane wine house and her house michael are now out of the icu. >> it was extremely scary. especially for jane on a

ventilator because i wasn't so it was extremely scary. >> reporter: with our nation still in crisis, there are promising signs of better days ahead. this 93-year-old grandmother in pittsburgh going viral with her playful request for beer in long island when korean war veteran herb burger couldn't join family and friends to celebrate his 90th birthday, local police brought a parade to his front door and there is more positive news here in l.a. county where the number of new cases is the lowest it's been in a month but that stay-at-home order has been extended in this area through may 15th lester >> yeah, this isn't close to being over miguel, thanks very much. as discussions intensify over how to ramp up the economy, many governors and the president's own health experts warn it can't happen at once. peter alexander is at the white house. >> reporter: president trump tonight eagerly eyeing what he's called a big bang to restart the economy as early as

may 1st expressing optimism. >> we're getting rid of the pledge it's a plague on our country like nobodies ever seen. >> reporter: dr. anthony fauci envisioning a rolling reentry, possibly next month. >> it's not going to be a light switch we say okay, it is now june, july or whatever click, the light switch goes back on. >> reporter: the cdc director cautions against moving too quickly. >> it's going to be a step by step gradual process that's got to be data driven. >> reporter: among the keys to safely getting back to business according to public health experts, a major increase in tests to see who has the virus. wide use of an antibody test to determine who may have already had it and immunity and contact tracing to isolate people who interacted with someone who is infected vice president mike pence today asking governors for help ramping up testing with concerns testing machines still are not running anywhere near full capacity. >> increasing in

testing is continuing on a daily basis, and it is going to need to be in place in order for us to effectively reopen. >> reporter: after weeks saying it was up to governors to impose stay-at-home orders, president trump is now insisting he has the sole power to decide how and when states reopen tweeting it is the decision of the president and for many good reasons but most legal experts disagree arguing the president does not have the authority to direct states to lift their emergency orders tonight, the governors of seven northeastern states that represent more than half of the nation's coronavirus cases are banning together to outline the steps they will take to ease restrictions three western states doing the same. >> this has to be informed by experts and data you take one step forward and see how it works and measure the next step. >> reporter: also making headlines, president trump's retweet with a #fire fauci after dr. fauci acknowledged more lives could have been saved if the country could have been shut down earlier. >> there was a lot of push back shutting things down back then. >> reporter: late tonight when

the president called fauci to the podium he said that was the wrong choice of words and the president took his advice and president trump said he is not firing dr. fauci, lester >> peter, thank you. we'll have much more ahead on those three keys to unlock the country including the way apple and google are teaming up to track the virus. right now we want to tell you other major headlines five days after he ended his presidential campaign, senator bernie sanders today endorsed former vice president joe biden as the two appeared in a video sanders told biden we need you in the white house and said he'll do all he can to make that happen. also tonight, the tornado disaster in the middle of this pandemic 130 million people are under wind alerts from florida to maine after dozens of twisters killed at least 33 people in the south. our morgan chesky in the storm zone tonight. >> reporter: tonight, the south facing a disaster

nightmare. >> i see it. >> reporter: more than 50 reported tornados since sunday. >> all i heard was like a loud roaring sound and a lot of cracking sound. >> reporter: in louisiana willie grayson's family was watching an easter service when the tornado struck. >> i'm telling my kids get under the bed. yelling for my wife. the roof falling off trying to run to me and the whole roof flew up. >> reporter: this home ripped off its foundation stopping drivers in their tracks after being tossed into the road nbc's blayne alexander is in georgia. >> i heard that train noise. get in the closet. run in and the trailer was coming up. >> reporter: with you inside >> with us both inside. >> got a funnel cloud in front of me. >> reporter: in mississippi a

tornado so powerful, radar captured debris thrown up to 60 miles away the damage these storms leave behind forces a tough call, how to enforce stay-at-home orders for a virus when hundreds have no house to go home to. >> would typically go to a school gymnasium or something like that set up as a shelter. we're trying to get people into hotel rooms. >> reporter: in alabama the stay-at-home orders suspended. images inside storm shelters capturing people doing whatever they can to social distance and tonight, this storm system that caused so much damage here has now taken a turn heading north up the eastern seaboard where it could cause even more problems lester >> all right morgan, thank you. we'll be back in 60 seconds with those desperately needed relief checks finally going out and if you haven't gotten yours yet, how you can get it faster. blatche

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americans has finally started to roll out but if you're one of the millions still waiting, stephanie ruhle explains how to get your money faster as so many families struggle. >> reporter: bumper to bumper traffic for miles waiting to get into food banks. as millions of suddenly unemployed americans struggle to get food on the table. >> we have to do this to survive. >> i'm just a single parent. there is nobody but me. the first wave of those much anticipated relief checks for many americans has finally started to roll out but if you're one of the millions still waiting, stephanie ruhle explains how to get yours faster. >> reporter: bumper to bumper traffic for miles waiting to get into food banks. as millions of suddenly unemploymented americans struggle to get food on the table. >> we have to do this to survive. >> i'm just a single parent there is nobody but me. >> reporter: thousands of relief centers from pittsburgh to st. louis and honolulu like fear and worry. >> reporter: in texas, 6,000 cars waited to get into this san antonio owe center, many camping

out overnight. >> when they see that box of food coming into the car, some of them smile and some of them cry. >> we're seeing them from all income levels because when somebody gets laid off and the income stops coming in, even if they may have a fancy car, fancy house, they're going to be hungry. >> reporter: demand is up, inventories have plummeted. >> it's devastating. it's something that none of us could have ever predicted. >> reporter: farmers across america have no way to ship their food to the places that need it most kerry sanders is in florida. >> reporter: food banks are overwhelmed with demand and farmers in florida in the middle of harvest are heart broken because the logistics don't exist to get fresh corn, green beans and vegetables to those who need it. instead, it's all being plowed florida. >> reporte >> reporter: for many families in need, help is on the way. stimulus checks are now being distributed for anyone making less than $99,000 a year you get the full $1200 if you're salary is under $75,000 and an additional $500 for every child.

for those who filed taxes using direct deposit, the money should hit soon paper checks are expected to start getting mailed in may if you didn't have to file taxes, you can enter your bank information at irs.gov. the irs will launch a website to allow you to track your status. they are discussing another stimulus package, there are many americans worried about mounting bills. for the time being, take advantage of relief programs and call your lenders to find out more lester >> stephanie, thanks very much. most health experts agree opening the country and stopping the spread of coronavirus is testing and there are developments tonight on a test that can tell if you've had the virus and may now be immune. >> reporter: with much of america shut down, tonight the promise of progress. new covid-19 glad tests called antibody tests could help get some americans back to work dr. margaret zang just took one in new york.

>> having antibodies and knowing i'm as immune as one could be to covid right now makes me feel more inclined to serve. >> reporter: ucla began using its own version of antibody testing focussing on thousands of medical workers. >> how do we expect health work force to be protecting us if we're not doing everything that we can to protect them >> reporter: the concept is simple if you've had covid-19 and recovered, it's because of special antibodies in your immune system that developed to fight it off and those will likely protect you from future infections in the case of medical workers, those with antibodies could become super soldiers in the fight against covid-19. >> i think the health care workers who know they have antibodies will be able to go into the work more confident they're not going to be getting themselves sick or passing this virus on to others around them. >> reporter: other tests are being given to the general public in los angeles, as well. 64-year-old debra presley had her finger pricked within minutes she

learned she had antibodies to fight off coronavirus. when you found out you had the antibodies, what went through your mind? >> i'm a caregiver and i go to different people's homes and it's such a relief because now i can help other people. >> reporter: now dozens of labs all across the country are working on their own antibody tests. last week, the trump administration said they are working to make antibody testing free and widely available. >> starting within the next week or so, we'll be able to scale up the kind of antibody testing to give you a good feel for what the penetration of the infection is but you can start to think about some aspect of getting back to normal without having tested everybody in the country. that's for sure. >> reporter: the fda commissioner warning not every antibody test is accurate. >> no test is 100% perfect but we don't want wildly inaccurate tests. >> reporter: the diagnostic coronavirus tests, 1% of the population has been tested just a fraction of what experts

say is needed to get a clear sense of how many people may be infected for now making complete contact tracing still out of reach. something authorities say is vital for stopping the virus' spread and lester, tonight, apple and google unveiling new plans for a voluntary app that would basically alert you if you've come into contact with a known carrier. both companies stressing tonight that privacy is their top concern. lester >> all right gadi schwartz tonight, thank you. up next, our exclusive look at a potentially life-saving treatment. tonight, the surprising results stressing tonight that privacy is their top concern. lester? >> all right. gadi schwartz tonight, thank you. up next, our exclusive look at a potentially life-saving treatment. tonight, the surprising results. (asaad) since my mother got cancer from smoking, i've learned a lot of things. like how to help her out of bed, how to keep track of her medication,

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perhaps it's time to partner with someone who knows you and your business well enough to understand what your wealth is really for. well, researchers around the world focus on finding a vaccine, there is also an urgent effort to develop more immediate treatment. tonight we have an exclusive look at a drug trial with early but encouraging news here is tom costello. >> reporter: at the icu floor a drug trial for a potential lifesaver. doctors prescribing remdesivir the emery trial is one of the largest in the world infectious disease expert dr. meta is the chief investigator. >> whoa we're searching for is medication to help people get over the infection more rapidly and allow their immune systems to really kick in and knock the virus out of their body.

>> reporter: it could be far more effective in treating covid-19 it's a double blind nih study meaning patients and doctors don't know who gets a placebo. >> we've seen lots of patients recovering, a study drug or placebo, we don't know. >> reporter: in washington state icu doctors gave remdesivir. >> reporter: within 48 hours i was a lot better >> we were thankful to get him on this drug so quickly, it was a god send researchers could be two to three weeks away from a major breakthrough determining whether it should be the go-to treatment in hospitals meanwhile, doctors are increasingly cautious about an unproven treatment touted by president trump. hydroxychloroquine with an antibiotic researches noticed

some had cardiac arrhythmia and died some are insisting what they heard president trump talk up. >> they say i don't want an experimental drug, i want the drug on the news. >> reporter: if approved, drug maker gilead says it could treat 100,000 immediately and half a million by october lester. >> tom costello tonight, thank you. up next, beating the odds, inspiring so many others ostello tonight, thank you. up next, beating the odds, inspiring so many others. every financial plan needs a cfp® professional --

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finally, he survived his harrowing battle with coronavirus and now a heart warming celebration. here is steve patterson. >> reporter: this easter sunday a california hospital resinating with waves of applause for 50-year-old ramon who fought the coronavirus and won after spending 19 days on a ventilator >> i seemed to exist but i really wasn't sure if i existed. i didn't know if i had passed on or not. >> reporter: for over a month, icu doctor alex hakim documented the journey and in a way his own. >> i don't know if i have the words to express how i feel i'll remember it for the rest of my life. >> reporter: for ramon, he's grateful for the gift of life. >> i've managed to beat this, but all the credit goes to them, all the nurses, all the doctors. >> you gave them hope. [ cheers ] >> reporter: hope, that's what doctors and nurses who saved ramon will carry with them as they head back to the front

lines. steve patterson, nbc news, los angeles. that's the kind of beautiful moments we want to see more of. that is "nightly news" for this monday i'm lester holt. please take care of yourself and each other the curve is being bent because of you. right now at 6:, ready to release plans to lift our shelter at home. the governor's next move and his west coast pack. the news at 6:00 starts right now. good evening. thanks for being with us as we begin week fife of the shelter at home. i'm raj mathai. >> i'm jessica aguirre. and janelle wang is working from

home. >> there are things that make you healthier and make your immune system stronger. for now, back to the studio. >> thank you. >> a potential landmark momentum moment today in the battle of the coronavirus. the state making significant strides to flatten the curve, governor newsom is finalizing a plan to get californians back to work. he didn't say when the restrictions will be lifted but he is collaborating with washington and oregon on a plan. >> move containment mitigation, to surge, and a commune uppity vaccine. that is how we will be categorizing the frame work tomorrow. >> california has 22,000 cases. just over 3,000 people are in hospital. 1100 of